Descriptions
Every game should have a description that is original, self-contained, and objective. Original means that the description must be in your own words. In particular, don't copy the description from the back of the box, a press release, a store page, or Wikipedia. The first two can be added as ad blurbs, though! Self-contained means that the description should tell you everything you need to know without relying on the reader being familiar with other games. If the game is a clone or a sequel, mention that, but also describe the game on its own. The exception is that entries for compilations or special editions should only describe what's unique about that particular version. Objective means that the description is not a review and is not your opinion about the game's worth. We do have a review section for those! What to include A description should include information about both the game's plot and it's gameplay. Include information about the setting, the story and the objectives, at a minimum. For a more detailed description, include information about controls, enemies, levels, and anything else that makes the game unique. If a game has several segments with different gameplay, those can be described individually. The game's description should cover the entire game, not merely the first few levels. Try to make sure your description answers the following questions (if they apply): * What is the game's basic story or premise? * Who does the player control? What abilities does this character have? * What upgrades can be found, or how do the character's abilities progress as the game goes on? * What kind of enemies or obstacles does the player encounter? * Where does the action take place? What different levels exist? * Are there any mini-games or other sequences with different gameplay than most of the game? * How does this game differ from other games in its genre? What not to include Any subjective information should be left out. Don't say, for example, that the game has especially beautiful (or ugly) graphics, or a very fitting (or annoying) soundtrack. Don't mention awards that the game has won, since those go in the trivia section. Although the description should cover the entire game, don't include spoilers. "Later in the game, there are action segments" is probably not a spoiler. "The final boss turns out to be your brother" probably is. Since the same description is shown for every platform, platform specific information should be left out. This includes information such as "Can connect to a Nintendo DS to exchange monsters" as well as "utilizes the z80 chip for music" or even "This game uses it's own custom memory manager and EMM386.exe must be disabled." This applies even to games which are currently available only on a single platform, since they may be ported to new platforms, later. That's not to say we don't want this information, though: some of it may be included as tech specs for the specific platform, and some of it may be more appropriate as trivia. Style To keep our descriptions consistent, most descriptions should begin with a brief description of the plot and setting, followed by a description of the gameplay. Italicize the title of the game. Use terms like "the player" or "the protagonist" rather than "you". If you mention other games in the description, link to those games using moby tags. For instance, "CD-Man is a Pac-Man clone" or "Super Mario Galaxy 2 is the sequel to Super Mario Galaxy". Avoid time-based phrases like "the newest" or "last year" when writing a description. Remember that the description will still be around, years from now, and the situation may have changed. If you do need to refer to a particular time, be specific: "in 2007" is much more useful than "five years ago".